Yamaha YTR-9335NYS Custom Artist Model Series Bb Trumpet
The Yamaha YTR-9335NYS trumpet was designed to solve issues Robert Sullivan had with his previous trumpets. He had played Yamaha Bb trumpets for quite a few years and loved the even scale, intonation and responsiveness, but often felt that the trumpet needed more depth of tone and was difficult to shade colors the way his other horns could. His Yamaha trumpets also did not open up at extreme dynamics as he would have liked. Robert owned two trumpets of another brand, one from the mid '70s and a new horn from around 1999 that were used as examples of the deep, rich tone he liked. While they allowed him to change the color better than the Yamaha, sometimes there was no control over the color changes. He also felt the scale to be uneven and out of tune, and the response was very slow. An artist of Sullivan's caliber wanted a trumpet that combined the best qualities of both instruments: richness of tone, flexibility and control of color changes, an even scale, good intonation and good response.

The goal when working on this trumpet with Yamaha trumpet designer Bob Malone was always focused on two factors: sound and feel. First, don't confuse tone with sound. Tone is just one part of the overall sound - the way that you string together a series of notes creates your unique sound. Then you need to add heart, soul, character and expression. Those aspects require that the trumpet feels good to you. There needs to be a comfort level that allows the player to focus on the music, not the trumpet.

Robert Sullivan needed a trumpet that allows for total freedom of expression. He remarked, "The instrument should be an extension of my voice, an amplifier of my thoughts. If the blow doesn't feel right or I have to battle intonation problems or I cannot control the color, then I can't focus 100% of my energy on the music."

The process of developing this trumpet focused on identifying the issues they wanted to correct and then systematically correcting each one. Developing a trumpet that sounded great and felt good was the goal. This is an instrument that will be comfortable in the hands of a non-Yamaha player who is looking to add the best qualities of a Yamaha. It will also be very comfortable to those players who are already playing Yamaha, but want more flexibility and a richer tone.

Variable wall thickness bell

The combination of the variable bell thickness on this Yamaha trumpet combined with a unique side-seam design helps the player produce a full, rich sound. Variable wall thickness simply means that the bell material gets thinner as it flares out towards the bell rim.

MB2 mouthpipe

Wider slotting provides quick response and excellent intonation.

French bell bead rim with low dome wire

A low-profile French bead bell rim improves overall projection due to the refined, sharper bell rim edge.

Skeletonized valve stem

The valve stems have been designed to allow for increased flexibility in instrument response and timbre.

Engraved Artist Model logo

The bell engraving was achieved using a minimally invasive method. This technique has little effect on the overall temper of the bell material.

Narrow brace set

Reminiscent of designs from the 1930s, 40s and 50s, a narrower brace helps give this Yamaha trumpet a quicker response and transmit vibrations efficiently.

High water key chimney

The larger gap created by an extended water key chimney improves resistance characteristics and overall tone.